Love & Death
by CookiesCream333
Summary: 'She was a girl. Simply a thing apart of wallpaper.' They said. 'Rarely did something epic.' How wrong they were. She struggled with her secret. She fought for everything she had. Her life, her world, her friends, her love. She gave much to our world. Her life was sealed up under lock and key. It's time to finally know the story of the heroine, Jazmine di Piante.
1. A Glimpse

Even through his blurry tears he could still see her perfect face. Her perfect, lifeless face. Heart break didn't even describe the excruciating pain he was feeling.

Just when victory was theirs he turned around and saw his beauiful on the floor. On her death bed. She told him warm, comforting words like he was dying not her. Words ressuring him like a warm, loving santuary dead-smack in the middle of a cold, unforgiving storm.

Dead. He should be used to it. He saw millions, billions dead but never had it hurt him this much.

She was more than a girl. She was THE girl. He knew her all his life. She was always by his side. When she wasn't, he was practically an empty machine. A faulty empty machine. He couldn't funtion correctly with her. He always had to know she was alright and happy. She stayed with him. Comfort him. She made him a real person. She gave him a purpose and heart.

Only when he was nearly ripped put of her grasp he finnally realized how much he missed her. Liked her. Loved her.

But when he came back to her, he was too weak, too cowardly to tell him how he felt. She was off limits.

Finally he told her how he felt. After she told him how she felt. On her death bed.

Her eyes were weak yet strong if that's possible. Her dark beauiful eyes stared into his ugly sad eyes and with her dying breaths she told him she loved him. Loved him with all her heart. Her heart will forever be his even when it stops beating which is soon. She held his hands and told him true love was forever, even in death.

No. He said. You're not going to die. We're going to get married. Have children. Have grandchildren. Live a long, long happy life together. Together forever.

She smiled at him gently.

I'll miss you. She said. But we will be together forever still.

No! Please! He said as his voice cracked. I can't loose you.

She tugged his hand. He leaned down.

They kissed.

Not the hungry, lust filled one. The one with true, true love. Soft, sweet, and memorable. Her first and last kiss. She uttered those three words one last time.

He opened his eyes. There his love of his life was dead. Gone forever.


	2. Everything Is NOT Okay

**AN: I really hope you enjoy this story. Reviews and constructive criticism is always welcome. Enjoy! :)**

**-CookiesCream333**

_"Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, with the world before me."_

_ -Walt Whitman_

**Part 1: The Start of The Hero & Heroines**

**Chapter One**

**Everything Is NOT Okay**

{Jaz}

Jazmine di Piante was a bright, lively child. When they weren't glued to their food, game, etc. everyone in the Lotus Casino agreed.

'Terrifying when she's angry.' They would add. 'Clings too much to the Nico boy.'

If you told her that she would disagree.

'I'm an awesome warrior that's fearless and brave!' she would say. 'I DO NOT cling to Nico. We're best friends and we play together!'

Speaking of playing,

"That's no fair!" Nico yelled, his brown, sunny eyes downcasted to a dark, bottomless black. "I told you to count to twenty and you counted to ten! That's illegal in the Hide & Seek rulebook! You cheated!"

Jazmine's eyes flared. For a ten year old she was downright scary. "I did not!"

"Did too!" Nico held her glare.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

They were nose to nose, glaring each others eyeballs out.

"Wanna play Myth-O-Magic?"

"Okay."

With three words the tough tension and angry feelings were flushed away.

"Lets play in the hotel room! Maybe Bianca will play with us!" Jazmine was smiling crazily at the thought of playing Myth-O-Magic.

"Race you there!" Nico sprinted off.

"Hey!" Jazmine shouted and ran after Nico. "Cheater!"

...

"How-how-," Nico panted. "How did you get here so quickly?"

"E-e," Jazmine gasped for air. "Elevator, dummy."

"I won anyways."

"No, I did!"

"Just be quiet, _Jazmine. _I won." Nico said smugly.

"Don't call me Jazmine! You know it annoys me. It's too... formal." Jaz said.

"The point is, I won."

"Whatever your little brain wants to think."

"Little!?" Nico said offended.

"Just open the door."

As Nico searched his room key in his pockets (he has wa-a-ay to many pockets) Jaz chattered about her new Artemis card.

"Artemis is so-o-o cool! She's so maideny and powerful! I want to be just like her!"

Jaz didn't notice Nico's giant mood drop.

"Artemis is lame. You have to sacrifice 100 stamina to use the best move she's got which isn't that powerful!"

"Your just jealous you don't have THE NEW! SHINY! FOIL ARTEMIS CARD!" Jaz grinned.

Nico fumbled his key out of his pocket inside of his jacket and shoved it in the slot of the door then out. The door clicked open.

"B! B! Wanna play Myth-O-Magic with... Us?" Jaz ended uncertainly.

There was an old- sorry, _elderly _man in a fancy black silk suit, a stern expression, and perfectly combed hair (even though he didn't have much).

"Jaz, Nico, this is Mr. Modds-" Bianca started, trying to be polite.

"Dodds." he corrected.

"Dodds." Jaz could practically see the _'Whatever'_ look in her eyes. "Mr. Dodds is taking us out the Lotus Casino-"

"Nooooo!" Nico yelled and pointed at Mr. Dodds. "EVIL!"

"Evil! Evil! Evil! Evil!" Nico and Jaz chanted.

"Nico! Jazmine!" Bianca scolded.

Jaz winced. Bianca never called her Jazmine unless 1) She was being EXTREMELY impolite and rude. 2) Jaz was in serious trouble. 3) She spilled her chocolate cake on the Duke of England's super expensive, rare, WHITE silk suit.

"Let me finish. He's taking out Lotus Casino and enrolling us in Westomer-"

"Westover." Mr. Dodds corrected again.

"Westover Military School."

"Military School!?" Nico exclaimed. "There, I could show off my super awesome ninja skills! HAY JA!"

Nico did a high kick and landed on the furry carpet on his behind.

"No! No! No!" Jaz said. "You DON'T do kicks like that. It's like this!"

Jaz did a kick so high she pulled a muscle.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" She danced around the room hopping on one foot.

"Oh- Oh my gosh!" Nico choked with laughter, doubling over clutching his stomach. "PRICELESS!"

"Not funny!" Jaz lost her balance and fell over on her face.

Nico roared with laughter, Jaz grumbled on the floor, Bianca chuckled a bit but Mr. Dodds stayed serious and incredibly stony.

"What's your name?" he said, his black eyes bore into Jaz's.

"Jaz the Super Awesome WARRIOR!" Jaz declared.

Bianca gave her a warning look. The younger girl sighed.

"Jazmine di Piante." she said grudgingly.

The lawyer's eyes gained a thoughtful look.

"I'm not suppose to bring you to the military school,"

All of them opened their mouths, ready to protest.

"But! I think your lawyer will let you go with the di Angelos. Please excuse me for a second. I was a phone call to make."

He promptly walked out the room.

"Jaz the Super Awesome Warrior?" Nico said raising an eyebrow. "More like Jaz the I-Pulled-A-Muscle Princess."

"Hey!" Jaz yelled indignantly.

Bianca started packing her things, not wanting to break up _another _Nico vs. Jaz fight.

"Sshhh." Nico said and tiptoed outside, taking an advantage of Bianca's unawareness.

"Where are you going?" Jaz whispered and followed Nico.

"That Modds-"

"Dodds." Jaz corrected.

"Whatever."

"Like sister like brother."

"Anyways," Nico began. "That guy is fishy. He's hiding something. I feel it in my gut."

"You feel that, too?" Jaz said.

Their stomachs rumbled at the same time.

"Maybe we're just hungry." Nico said. "I saw this guy at the new Italian restraunt eating this really, really delicious 7 layer lasagna and-"

"There he is!" Jaz interrupted.

The Modds/ Dodds guy (choose your pick), was hiding behind a lotus pot, talking in a quiet hushed tone. Nico and Jaz hid behind another lotus pot (this hotel is plant crazy).

"Are you sure, master?" The lawyer said.

Jaz looked at Nico confused. Master?

"Yes, you imbecile!" the man on the other side of the phone rasped. "The Fates-"

Nico raised an eyebrow.

"-said that the di Piante girl-"

_Stalkers._ Jaz thought._ Who calls themselves "The Fates?"_

"-is destined to save my son from a... Tragic fate. On the way she will provide him..." The man paused again. "Happiness."

_I hope the son is nice. I don't save jerks. _Jaz thought.

"As you wish, Master." They saw the outline of Mr. Dodds's form bow.

Why would he bow when he's on a phone call?

A sound like an object skidding across water jolted Nico and Jaz back to their senses.

"He's going back to the suite!" Jaz hissed. "Someone's not going to be happy once they figured out they've been spyed on!"

Nico headed towards the stairs.

"Wait!" Jaz grabbed his arm. "There's a faster way!"

She pointed at the elevator.

...

Jaz and Nico sat next to each other, innocently watching TV.

"What are you watching?" Bianca said coming into the room with her suit case. "Baba Finds His Book? It's a good thing is G but don't you think it's a little kiddy? Why are you breathing like you just ran a marathon?"

"We, um, don't think it's kiddy!" Nico lied. "In fact, it's, um, one of our, um, favorites shows!"

"Really?" Bianca looked them skeptically. "I guess, I'll turn it on every time we watch TV since you guys love it so much!"

Jaz wanted to strangle Nico.

"You didn't answer why you're breathing so hard." Bianca put her hands on her hip.

Fortunately they didn't have to answer. Mr. Dodds came into room announcing it was time to go.

"Am I coming?" Jaz said even though she already knew the answer.

"Yes, you're coming." Mr. Dodds said as he dragged the luggage outside. "I had the strangest feeling I was being watched while I was talking on the phone."

Nico and Jaz shared a guilty smile while Bianca shot them an accusing look.

* * *

**Part 1 ****Of the **

**Westover Hall Nighmare**

**Deserted**

"This is Westover Hall!" Mr. Dodds said.

The kids lugged their luggage out the trunk and the limo sped away without Mr. Dodds saying goodbye. They stood on the side of the road, alone, next to a creepy castle.

* * *

**Ms. Gotchalk's Definition of Fun**

"Welcome to Westover Hall!" Ms. Gotchalk said.

Jaz and Nico couldn't get over her name was, heh, heh, _Gotchalk._

"These are your books-,"

Ms. Gotchalk dropped about ten textbooks in their arms. Nico and Jaz nearly fell over.

"-and your handbook of rules-"

She dropped a paper handbook which was as thick as a few textbooks on top of the pile. Or Jaz would say, as thick as Nico's skull.

"-and all your homework you missed in the begininng of the year-"

She dumped a pile of papers stacked two feet tall.

"-and finally your schedule and brochure."

Ms. Gotchalk laid the papers on top of their piles.

Jaz's arm wobbled from the weight of the books and papers. Nico was mumbling about how he hated being late into the school year. Bianca was grinding her teeth in pain, trying not to fall over.

"My-my arms are on fire." groaned Jaz.

"That's nice, dear." Ms. Gotchalk said. "You need to take these stuff to your dorm."

"Where-where are our dorms?" Nico said.

They prayed it was close.

"It's on the fifth floor." Ms. Gotchalk answered.

Damn it.

"At least we'll be able to take the elevator." Bianca said positively, struggling with the weight of the stuff.

"Oh, the elevator broke yesterday." Ms. Gotchalk informed them.

Jaz groaned.

"At least you'll get a workout. Maybe you'll loose some of that baby fat." Ms. Gotchalk patted Jaz's cheek. "Probably not. You'll probably be chubby forever."

They all growled slightly.

"I don't care if I'm chubby." Nico said. "I'm STARVING! When's lunch?"

Ms. Gotchalk looked at her watch. "Lunch is about-"

RIIIIIIIIINNNNGGG!

"-now."

They all groaned. Again. The new start at school was going as well as chicken trying to fly.

"You three should hurry up." Ms. Gotchalk said. "You are going to have to climb 5 floors using the stairs and carry that pile of stuff. If you don't hurry you'll miss lunch. Now that I think about it you'll most definitely going to miss lunch. After lunch is P.E! Did I mention today is the monthly P.E test? As a special treat I'm going to add a rock climbing and 10 mile run to the test! Tonight, instead of dinner we're going camping. Instead of eating our usual gourmet food during the camping trip we're going to have cabbage soup! Westover Hall is so much fun!"

* * *

**Camping Problems**

**On The Left Side Of The Woods**

"AHHHHH! B! B! Nico! Nico! I fell in the river! I nearly drowned! It's freezing! Why are we going camping during the winter! There's a weird rock suck to my arm. It's mushy. It's a... LEECH! It's a leech! There's a leech sucking all my blood! Ow! OW! Get off, Leechy! Get off!"

Jaz wildly ran around the woods, screaming her head off.

**On The Other Side Of The Woods**

"I HATE YOU JAZ! Getting honey from the -OW!- bees is the worse -OW- idea ever! GAH! Get away bees! Nico -OW- commands you to! AAAAHHH!"

**In The Middle Of The Woods In The Campsite**

Bianca sat next to the campfire poking it with a stick while talking to her new friend.

"You see, I take archery. You should take it, it's super awe- Hey, do you hear that?" Her friend, Stacy, said.

Bianca strained her ears.

"Yeah, I do. Is it just me or does it sound like screaming?"

Stacy listened.

"Its just you... It's screamS!"

The screams got louder and louder.

On one side of the camp Jaz ran in with several leeches attached to her. Her signature side braid was extremely messy with twigs, leaves, and _other _things stuck in it. She was soaking wet and shivering, her skin and lips getting more and more blue.

On the other side of the campsite Nico ran in with a swarm of bees at his tail. His black hair was dirt brown. Key word: dirt. His uniform was also brown but covered in... Honey?

The two met in the middle of the campsite. Well, not exactly _met. _More like crashed. They collided into each other, head first. With a THUMP! they toppled to the ground. Unfortunately the "ground" was Bianca. They fell right on top of Bianca. Nico, Jaz, bees, and leeches. Bianca fell backwards and the stick she was using flew out of her hand. The stick flew into a tent. If the stick wasn't on fire, there wouldn't be any harm done. But Fate wasn't on their side today. The stick was on fire from tending the fire and then the tent was on fire. The tent collapsed onto the next tent. That tent caught fire and fell on the next tent. Then that tent caught fire and collapsed. Then so on and so on. Soon the entire campsite was on fire.

Jaz and Nico, who were still getting pestered by th bees and leeches, stared at the havoc they caused. Bianca was covered in sting and leeches's teeth marks, on the floor, nursing her foot. People were screaming. The day was ruined. The camp was on fire. All this happened during the first five hours they were at their new school. Nico and Jaz glanced at each other.

"Whoops."

* * *

**The Record**

Jaz, Nico, and Bianca grumbled angrily as they did their homework. Usually it was only Jaz and Nico who did the complaining but this was a special case. After they came back from the camping trip a.k.a the WORSE EXPERIENCE EVER, they were immediately hospitalized.

Jaz had a bad case of hypothermia. Who wouldn't after jumping- sorry, falling into a river in the middle of winter and then running around the woods for 30 minutes in nothing but jeans, a T-shirt, and a light jacket? Besides that, she had to get the leeches removed. And she still had to regain her lost blood.

Nico, on the other hand, had to get all the bee stings patched up. It was a miracle he wasn't dead. Every time he moved a sudden pain would sting and ache for a couple minutes.

Bianca had bee stings, too, but not as much as Nico. When Jaz and Nico fell on her she gained a sprained ankle.

Let's just say The Trouble Trio (6 hours and 34 minutes at a new school and they already have a nickname) weren't so happy.

"MY ARM HURTS! THE LEECHES' TEETH MARK ACHES! THE NURSE DIDN'T TAKE THE TWIGS OUT MY HAIR! I'M STARVING! I WANT WATER! I'M COLD! I WANNA GO BACK TO THE HOTEL! I HATE HOMEWORK!"

Guess who that is?

"THE STINGS HURT! I'M FOOT IS ITCHY BUT I CAN'T SCRATCH IT THANKS TO SOME PEOPLE! YOU THINK YOUR HOMEWORK HARD!? MY HOMEWORK IS TEN TIMES HARDER! IT THE HARDEST HOMEWORK ON EARTH! THIS SCHOOL IS THE WORSTEST OUT OF ALL THE SCHOOLS! I MESSED UP IN GRAMMAR! GGGGAAAAAAAAAH!"

Take notes. This is one of the only times subject No. 3 is angry. When she's angry she's_ angry._

Uh oh. Subject no. 2 is mad. Don't make any sudden movements. He can smell fear.

"AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHH! I HATE, HATE, HATE, HATE, HAAAAAATTTE HOMEWORK! I'M HURT, I'M EXHAUSTED, I'M ANGRY, AND MOST OF ALL I'M HUNGRY! I NEED FOOD! FFFOOOOODDD! FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! FOOOOOOOOOOOOO-"

"AND I HAVE A MIGRAINE!"

Huh. Who's this?

The nurse threw her clipboard on the ground, effectively shutting up The Trouble Trio. She sighed contently at the silence. But of course it didn't last for long. They all started moaning and complaining again but this time, all at once.

"LEECHES ARE-"

"-STINGS HURT AND-"

"-ITCHY AND I CAN'T SCRATCH BECAUSE-"

"FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-"

"-FUNKY GRANDMA!"

"SHE'S AN OLD B-"

"-PILLOW TOO HARD AND-"

"-I'L SHOW YOU WHAT'S-"

"-IN THE ARTIC WITH NO CLOTHES-"

"-GOT NO FOOD! GAH! GRAMMAR IS-"

"-VOLUME OF THE RECTANGULAR PRISM IS: I DON'T CARE BECAUSE-"

"-GOT THE BLLLUUUUUEEEEESSS!"

"I QUIT!"

The nurse stormed out the room. 6 hours and 36 minutes they got someone to quit ther job. That's no where near their record.

**End of Westover Hall Nightmare Part 1**

* * *

2 weeks later...

"Nonononononono!" Jaz crossed her arms. "I WILL NOT go to a dance! Nico and I scheduled a Myth-O-Magic tournament! We planned for weeks! We are NOT dropping it for some silly dance."

"Jaz! Nico!" Bianca said exasperated. "The dance is MANDATORY! You HAVE to go! I promised Grover I would come. We're meeting up with his friends! "

"We aren't going and that's final!" Nico said.

Jaz nodded. "Nothing you say can change our minds!"

* * *

Jaz shifted uncomfortable next to the dance floor.

How in the world did Bianca convince them to go? Those ten minutes were just a blur of fighting, arguing, persuasion *cough* *cough* bribery *cough* *cough*, and finally agreeing to go.

It was horrible watching your sister get asked out. Well, they're not exactly her siblings. More like, a super duper close family friend she knew since she was a babbling baby. She considered Bianca as her big sister because of all their years together. Anyways, one second Bianca was getting asked out by some cocky jock, (his muscles are definitely fake), and then the next second a shy nerd was tripping over his words to ask her to dance.

Bianca not _that _pretty. She had beautiful silky hair that reached her back, long black eye lashes that framed her perfect onyx eyes, plump red lips, a button nose, a "cute" (the boys words not hers) splash of freckles, hands' of a pianist, (REMEMBER! These are the boys' of Westover Hall's words. NOT her!) perfect curves, slender waist, an expression that made her look like a sweet, kind princess- Okay, okay. Maybe Bianca was a _little _pretty.

Standing next to Bianca, Jaz always felt a little... Plain. She was sort of chubby. Bianca reassured her it was baby fat. Her hands were way too big. It was like someone replace her hands with mini pans. Her eyelashes were short. Her nose was too tall. Her hair wasn't even the a solid color! It wasn't brown, it wasn't red, it wasn't blonde. It was in between. Nico and Bianca swore her hair changed from brown to black when she got angry. Same thing with her eyes. Green to black. It wasn't even a pretty green or black! What type of freak has hair and eye changing colors? Whoops, sorry Nico. His eyes change too. Bottomless black when he's angry and a warm chocolate brown when he's happy. Jaz knew she should appreciate her appearance but compared to her classmates, she was average and next to Bianca she was a drooling troll.

She was never and never will be as good as Bianca. Bianca was beautiful, smart, talented, kind, and everyone absolutely adored her. Sure, Bianca was shy and Jaz wasn't, but what is that compared to all Bianca's other qualities?

While the teacher was doting on Bianca, Jaz sitting in the back of the classroom with Nico playing Myth-O-Magic hoping the teacher wouldn't give them detention this time. During recess people were practically begging Bianca to come hang out with them while Jaz and Nico were playing Myth-O-Magic with a couple pigeons under the lone pine tree at the very end of the field. At lunch, where ever Bianca sat, 2 minutes later her table was full. They always sat alone but of course with a couple seagulls.

Jaz and Nico always felt overshadow by their older sister.

"Hey. Jaz?" Bianca waved her hand in front of Jaz's face.

"Huh? What?" Jaz pulled herself out of La La Land.

"You've been frowning for 5 minutes. Is everything okay?" Bianca said, being the perfect child again.

"Fine." Jaz grumbled. "Just dandy."

"Are you sure?" Bianca asked concernly. "Is it those kids a-"

They were interrupted by loud arguing by a group of students that entered the gym. Jaz stared at them. They looked so unfamiliar except for Grover. Yes, Grover I-Wanna-Marry-This-Cheese-Enchilada Underwood. His friends looked weirdly... Exotic.

The person Jaz first noticed was the punkish girl. Everything she wore was black. Black shirt, black jeans, black jacket. She had bracelets lining up her arms. Her electric blue eyes popped out from all the black. Jaz instantly knew Bianca would disapprove of the girl the moment she laid eyes on her chain jewelry. The girl looked like she broke out of prison. She looked twelve, no sixteen, no twenty! Jaz couldn't tell her age which was really unusual.

Next to Electric Punk (Yes, that's what Jaz nicknamed her) was a teen who reminded her of the stereotypical California girl except she was wearing a sweater and jeans instead a swimsuit. She would of been out of her mind if she wore a swimsuit in Maine during the winter. Another thing that didn't make her look like a girl straight out of those old beach movies was her eyes. They were a bright, calm gray, though Jaz got the feeling she could be very dangerous. She could just picture her as a Warrior Princess fighting in battle. Jaz thought long and hard (which was 5 seconds) and carefully chose the nickname Princess Stormy for the girl's name.

The boy next to Princess Stormy was just exactly what Bianca's classmates would call hot. He was tall, lean, perfectly sculpted, and those sea green eyes made girls turn swoon. Jaz swore she saw her classmate, Emmie, staring at him dreamily with a piece of drool sliding down from the side of her mouth. He sort of reminded her of a god. No, a Greek God, Jaz thought, thinking about Myth-O-Magic. She'll just call him Captain Green.

All of them were pretty or handsome in their own way. They had flaws but they were so...unreal. Striding so purposely with their chin up even if it was unconsciously. They were... Godlike.

"Woah." Nico said still gaping at the four. "She's hot."

Jaz snickered, breaking everyone out of their awestruck state.

"Does wittle Nico have a crushing wushing the blondie wondie?" She tried to do her best baby voice.

"No! I don't, um, was a, um, crush on, um, her." his tone switched to dreamy. "She's just reallly, really... Stunning."

"Oh?" Jaz said knowing Nico will take the bait. "How stunning?"

"The most stunning girl that ever walked the Earth."

Jaz couldn't help but feel offended.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Look that black raven, silky hair. Black. My favorite color. Oh! Oh! And her beautiful electric blue eyes!"

"What!?" This time it was Bianca who spoke. "You may NOT date that girl. Or any girl!"

"I thought you were talking about the blonde one!" Jaz said.

"Nope." Nico said. "I bet her name would be gorgeous as she is."

Jaz gagged a bit but then a brillant idea to embarrass Nico formed in her head.

"Well, let's go meet her. Maybe you'll figure out her 'gorgeous' name."

"What!?" Nico exclaimed. "Nononononono! I won't- JAZ!"

But he was too late. Jaz grabbed him by his arm and pulled him in the endless crowd.

Popular, nerds, geeks, jocks, and divas alike shoved and pushed them as they tried to weave through the dance floor. They fell over several times getting trampled by everyone. Being in the middle of the crowd isn't so great.

"Nico!?" Jaz shouted. "I can't find the girl!"

"No dur!" Nico yelled over the chatter and music. "Rule number one of parties: Never EVER run straight into crowd!"

"Doesn't that imply to everything!?" Jaz screamed.

"Yes!" Nico tried to find his way out the crowd. "And yet you charge into one dragging me along!"

"We're never going to find her at this rate!"

"Let's just focus on getting out before the teachers arrive and find two students dead because high schoolers stomped on them to death!"

Every path out they found was immediately covered by dancing bodies.

A beefy football accidentally pushed Jaz down as he tried to get to his girlfriend. Jaz let go of Nico's arm as she fell.

"Jaz! Are you oka-"

Before he could finish the crowd swept him away.

"Nico!? Nico!"

"I'm coming! I'm-"

Nico tried fighting the crowd but it was no use. Trying to shove a highschooler down was like a fly trying to knock down a house.

The crowd shifted until Jaz could not longer see Nico. Jaz tried to get back on her feet but people kept stepping on her. Soon, she was lying flat on the ground getting trampled. Someone stepped on her leg. Ow. Then her arm. Ow! Next her face. OW! Last, her ribs. Tears sprang into her eyes. She could still heard the crunching of her ribs.

Someone grabbed her from under the armpits. She laughed. Even though she was getting stomped on she was still ticklish. They hauled her to her feet and forcefully dragged her out the crowd. Ow, she could already feel the bruises forming.

"Are you okay?" The person asked.

Jaz wiped some dirt out of her eyes with her forehand. Not having people step on you every 2 seconds is a good feeling.

"Y-yeah." she said.

She blinked a couple times and looked at her "savior."

It was Electric Punk.

"The name's Thalia." she said.

Jaz waited for the last name but none came. Maybe she's one of those I'm-Too-Cool-For-A-Last-Name people.

"Jaz." she replied. "Sorry. Jazmine di Piante."

"Oh! You're the girl!" Thalia said.

"Huh?"

"Oh nevermind." Thalia covered up quickly.

"What were you going to s-"

"You really shouldn't charge at high schoolers. They could be vicious." Thalia said.

"Good advice. Are you new here?" Jaz asked.

"Uh, no. I'm just visiting my friend Grover."

"Why? Christmas break is in three weeks. You can visit him then."

"I, um-"

Lucky for her Grover popped out of nowhere, panting like crazy.

"He took the di Angelos! Percy told me through our empathy link that-"

Then he caught sight of Jaz.

"Oh hi, Jaz. Why are you covered in dirt and footprints?"

Before she could answer, Thalia cut in.

"Doesn't matter-"

It doesn't matter that she nearly got trampled to death? Jaz bit back a sarcastic comment but her experience with big kids told her to pretend to be a clueless, innocent kid. Which she sort of was. She really did feel clueless.

"We have to find them before he kills them."

Okay. Bianca and Nico's lives are in danger. It's time to butt in.

"Who's him? Why-"

Instead of answering the younger girl, Thalia grabbed her arm and dragged her outside.

Thalia's grip was like corset. Burning and extremely tight.

The wind howled relentlessly making Jaz shiver to the bone in her worn-down baggy gray jacket. It snowed slightly with chunks of snow sliding off trees and on Jaz's beanie.

"W-where are we going?" Jaz's teeth chattered.

She should of asked that before Thalia and Grover dragged her outside.

Grover opened his mouth to answer but a sliver arrow whizzed by cutting him open.

"Stupid Hunters." Thalia cursed under her breath.

Then, Jaz spotted them. Bianca and Nico were standing by a cliff with Captain Green- sorry, Percy. Next to them was- was a manticore. It looked almost exactly like the one in her Myth-O-Magic card.

Girls dressed in sliver sprouted out the woods after the auburn-haired girl said something Jaz couldn't make out. Thalia and Grover ran in the battle pulling out their respective spear, shield and reed pipes. Jaz stood there stunned. Hunters, soldiers, monsters. She was right in the middle of wildest dream. She never thought her dream could be so terrifying yet simply cool. Right now was the terrifying part of her dream.

"What's going on!?" Jaz demanded.

A hunter that vaguely reminded her of a persian princess shoved a silver bow and a quiver full of arrows in her hands instead of answering. What is it with people not answering!?

"Shoot." The girl commanded.

"What!?" Jaz said.

"Shoot." The girl repeated. "Shoot the manticore."

So it was a manticore!

"B-but I can't." Jaz stuttered. "I don't know how!"

"Have some confidence in yourself, little girl!" The girl snarled. "Or are you as weak as everyone thinks you are?"

Anger built up in her. Jaz didn't even know what happened. One second she was staring at the girl with her knees shaking like jello then the next second th manticore was howling in anger with an arrow logged in its shoulder and behind it Jaz had her bow raised.

"I-I shot it." Jaz said full of disbelief. "I shot the manticore!"

The urge to shoot something built up. Jaz loaded the bow with another arrow and let go. The arrow flew right into the monster's forehead along with the other silver arrows the Hunters' shot.

"Good." The persian girl said. "Keep on shooting."

The girl rushed into the battle, leaving Jaz standing there. Jaz loaded and fired another arrow. It just felt right fighting.

In he corner of her eye she could see Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth fighting like they rehearsed it. Every move, every step was perfectly orchestra. If Percy backed up, Annabeth stepped forward. If Thalia ducked, Percy attacked. If Grover stumbled, Thalia defended. It was like a beautiful dance on ice.

On the other corner of her eye, she saw Bianca and Nico fighting with silver bows the Hunters probably supplied them. Shooting, shooting, shooting.

Jaz didn't know what in the world was going on. The only thing that was clear was she had to keep on firing. Shooting, shooting, shooting.

All of a sudden the manticore turned its back on the Grover, Thalia, Annabeth, and Percy and faced Bianca and Nico. Uh oh. It raised its claw, ready to swipe Bianca and Nico down.

"Nnnoooo!" A scream ripped from Jaz's mouth.

Jaz tackled both Nico and Bianca away from the attack. Luckily Jaz escaped the swipe too. Well, mostly. She felt the monster's claw graze the back of her head. A slight stinging became growing more painful in that spot.

"Bianca! Nico!" she said worriedly as she got off the ground and helped Bianca and Nico up. "Are you okay!?"

"Why are you asking!?" Nico said. "The question is: Are _you _okay!?"

"Yeah." Jaz said, rubbing the scratch on her head. "I'm f-"

Bianca gasped. "Jaz! Look out! Duck!"

Jaz turned just in time to see the manticore's spiky tail swing right into her face.


	3. The Definition of Demigods

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS!**

**AN: This dream is going to be pretty important to the story line, so pay attention. Not the setting but the THING in it. Also, please review! I LOVE hearing feedback. If any of you guys have any ideas feel free to PM or review me about it. Thank you so much for those who already reviewed. It means so much to me. :)**

**Chapter 2**

**Definition of Demigod: One Quarter God, One Quarter Mortal, One Quarter Crazy **

{Jaz}

_It was a strange sensation. Waking up, standing up with your eyes already open. Jaz agreed on that._

_The first thing she noticed was the water dripping off the giant stalactites hanging off the ceiling. Jaz was standing-no, floating in some sort of cavern. She couldn't feel her feet on the ground. Now, that she thought of it, she couldn't feel anything. She tried moving her head down to look at her feet. Keyword: Tried. She didn't feel the strain in her neck as she tried to force herself to look at her feet. She didn't feel her bangs on her forehead. She didn't even feel herself breathing!_

_Am I dead?_

_Before she could counter that thought, she suddenly moved forward. Well, since she couldn't feel much less move, so it seemed like everything else moved towards her. She kept moving forwards until her imaginary nose she couldn't see was touching the wall. A small oval on the gray wall glowed blue. With a shuddering noise, the wall rose and permitted Jaz to enter._

_What's going on?_

_Behind the wall was a large, regal looking room. Scratch that, a large, regal looking throne room. Everything was bare except tiny gold designs shining on the grey wall, the purple and red drapes, and the majestic throne in the back of the room. Jaz squinted. Was it just her or was there someone on the throne?_

_The figure moved. The breath in Jaz's throat hitched._

_The person got off the_ throne_ and started slowly trudging towards her. Thump... Thump... Thump... Its cloak started melting off like someone poured oil on it and the oil was slowly, slo-o-owly dripping off. Drip... Drip... Drip... It was about twenty feet in front of her when the cloak fully melted off, revealing who was underneath._

_Bits of dark flesh the color of gun-power were hanging on its body. It's shoulder was clawed off and tinged with green. Red crimson was pouring out of it. Through the flesh and blood Jaz knew what it was. A skeleton. A zombie. The living dead._

_It's eyes were gray with no whites or pupils. It clouded like an endless void. You could stare in it forever and never find anything. No movement, no emotions, no life. _

_The skin on its chest was ripped clean off with only blood stains to show the flesh that use to reside there. But that wasn't that bad part. In the place were its heart is suppose to be beating was a big black orb of energy. It churned and sucked all the light, happiness, and life out of the room. If you concentrated really hard on it, for a second, you could make out ghostly faces in it before they disappeared. Faces of the dead. There was Percy's, Annabeth's, Grover's, Thalia's. Some people she didn't even know. Worst of all she saw Nico's face. _

_It was 10 feet away._

_"Merge." It whispered._

_The word echoed the room. It's mouth didn't move. The sound came from the ball of energy. The voice wasn't a voice. It was voices. Voices of everybody in the orb. Th voice of Percy. The voice of Thalia. The voice of Nico. The voices were quiet yet they sent cold chills down Jaz's back. Chills like vampire hands crawling down your back._

_"Merge." It said a little louder._

_It was 8 feet away._

_"Merge!" it said even louder._

_7 feet._

_Jaz desperately wanted to move. She wanted to run but her feet were rooted to the ground. She couldn't move. She stood there like a statue, helplessly, as the THING got closer and closer._

_"MERGE!" It roared._

_6 feet._

_**"MERGE!"**_

_It leaped. It's bloody hand reached out, ready to claw her face to shreds. She-_

* * *

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Jaz leaped out of the cot, landing not-so gracefully on the stone floor. She was vaguely aware someone was rushing to her side. Ow. That hurt. Then she realized something.

_I can feel!_

She touched her face.

_I can move! _

"Is thee alright?"

"I had the scariest dream!" Jaz said not entirely aware who she was talking to. "I was in a big throne a-and there was a skeletonl! It was so-so gory! And guess what happened next! It started moving towards me! Like, in slow motion! A-nd then it whispered-"

She stopped abruptly when she notice who she was talking to.

"You're the girl on the battlefield!"

It was the same Persian Princess girl who gave her the silver bow.

"Yes. My name is Zöe Nighshade. I am also the maiden who bandaged thee's face."

Jaz blinked and touch her banaged covered face.

"Thigh name? I thought _I_ had bad grammar."

Zöe rolled her eyes in a sisterly manner.

"Come." Zöe said. "Let me show thou the camp."

"Thoo?" Jaz repeated dumbly as she got out the cot and followed Zöe out th silver tent.

Jaz squinted at the sudden sunlight. Or firelight, to be accurate.

"Where are we? What happen yesterday? Why was there a manticore on campus? Aren't I suppose to be dead!? How did I survive getting hit by a giant spiky tail? Am I the next Captain America? W-"

"Enough questions, little one." Zöe said.

Jaz was about to burst into a speech about how mature she was and how she's NOT little!

"All questions will be answers in due time. My mistress will explain everything."

"Oh. Okay."

They walked in silence for a bit but Jaz being Jaz, broke it.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"To my mistress's tent." Zöe answered simply, still walking.

Her mistress's tent? Oka-a-ay.

"Who's your mistress? What's she like?" Jaz said eager for answers.

"She a very warm person." Zöe said, completely ignoring Jaz's first question. "Full of life. Kind. Wonderful."

Jaz was really getting tired of these short answers.

The whole camp was made up of torches, fire places, and sliver stuff. Silver tents. Slivery clothes. Silver banner. Silver wolves. Silver arrows. Silver fire. Sil-Wait what! How do you make silver fire!? Jaz rubbed her eyes and the fire turned back to red. All this silver is making her go silver crazy. She adverted her attention to a group of girls dressed in (more) silver clothing, talking and just having a good time in general. Every single one of them were so- so _happy_. Jaz felt a pang of jealousy.

The thing they did next really surprised Jaz. They waved at her and smiled. One of the girls stepped forward and said:

"Wanna play with us?"

Jaz looked behind her. Were they talking to _her_? Jazmine di Piante, the unpopular geek?

"Um, I, um, um, have to go to Zöe's mistress's tent!" Jaz said and rushed after Zöe.

"Did you see that!?" Jaz exclaimed.

"What?" Zöe said.

"The girls talked to me! And they wanted me to play with them!" Jaz said. "Do you think they were playing a prank?"

"No!" Zöe said. "The maidens would never play pranks on strangers. They're very nice young ladies. Why is thee so surprise they're nice?"

"Well, I-" Jaz rubbed her arm uncomfortable. A habit she had when she was admitting something personal. "-The girls at my old school, um, never really liked me. They were always, um, a little, um, _hostile_."

Zöe was about to answer but they arrived in front of her "mistress's" tent.

"Thy lady is waiting for thee." Zöe opened the curtain and Jaz slipped inside.

Inside was a auburn-haired girl and-

"Bianca!" Jaz smiled. "You're okay!"

"I'm the one who should be saying that. You're the one that got hit in the face by a manticore's spiky tail!" Bianca said.

"A very brave act you did out there. Saving your friends on the battlefield." The auburn-hair girl said. "I have a very important question to ask you, Jazmine di Piante."

"Who are you?" Jaz said, very alert. "Are you some sort of stalker?"

The girl gave her an amused smile. "No, I am not a 'stalker.' I am Artemis."

"What's your last name?" asked Jaz.

"I don't have a last name." Artemis replied.

"But everyone has a last name." Jaz argued.

"Sit. I have much to explain."

* * *

"OH MY GOSH! I'm a demigod! I'm half GOD! In your face, Emmie! How many attack points do I have!? A couple weeks ago, I got the Artemis Card. Now, I'm meeting THE Artemis! THE Artemis! AWESOME!" Jaz squealed. "AND THE Artemis wants ME to be an IMMORTAL hunter! So COOL!"

"Where do I sign up?" Bianca asked eagerly.

"Hold on." Artemis said, chuckling. "You have take your oath."

"What oath?" Jaz asked.

Artemis explained the 'You-May-Never-Socialize-Or-Interact-With-Boys-Much-Less-Date-Them' thingy.

That sort of put a bummer on things for Jaz. Boys were pretty cool after you got over their slight density and annoying comments. They were a good change from some of the stuck-up girls she met.

Just then, Percy burst in the tent.

"We will discuss this later." Artemis murmured to Bianca and Jaz.

...

Too be honest, Jaz zoned out completely. She wasn't even there when Dr. Thorn was interrogating them so she was no use.

Boys? Hunter? Boys? Hunter?

Jaz couldn't make up her mind. It was like if someone asked you if you wanted vanilla ice cream or chocolate ice cream. You want both.

She remembered what Bianca always does. Think of Pros and Cons.

**Upside Of Being A Hunter**

-Immortal (Huge plus)

-Accepted by People (also huge)

-Get To Hang Out With A Goddess (she's a little intimidating)

-Travel the world

-Be with Bianca

-Be all cool and maideny

**Downside of Being A Hunter**

-Can't hang out with guys (They're annoying but not that annoying.)

-Never suffered from heartbreak (Hope I never will.)

-Still pretty young (Sadly)

-Wake up early (UUUUGGGGG!)

-Want to know godly parent

-Haven't been to Camp Half-Blood

Uggg. Just my luck. Jaz thought bitterly. Pros and Cons are equal.

"-Have you girls made your decision?"

"Don't." Percy whispered, barely audible.

"Quiet male." Zoë hissed.

The way Zoë spoke to Percy woke something up in Jaz. She didn't want treat guys so harshly even if they started to get on her nerves. Guys. She felt like she was over looking a very crucial detail. Guys... Boys... Myth-O-Magic obsessed boys...Nico...

Nico.

Nico.

NICO!

"Where's Nico?" Jaz asked, alarmed.

How could she forget about her best friend!?

"That hyperactive boy?" Zoë said, her nose wrinkling in distaste. "He's showing the satyr that stupid baby game."

If you peeked in the tent at this moment you would see a distressed guy, an auburn-haired girl shaking her head, another girl sensing danger, an older girl, and a red-faced girl about to rip someone to shreds.

_How dare she call Myth-O-Magic stupid and babyish!? How dare she call Nico hyperactive!?_ Jaz thought. _Actually Nico_ is_ sorta hyperactive but still._

"I'll ask Bianca first." Artemis said, turning to Bianca, not wanting Zoë to accidentally provoke Jaz more.

She looked at Bianca.

"Do you, Bianca di Angelo, want to become a hunter? If you do repeat this vow." Artemis said the vow.

Bianca caught Jaz's eye.

_Should I?_ She mouthed to Jaz.

_No. I'm not going to._ Jaz mouthed back.

_Please?_

_No. Nico. Remember?_

Jaz saw Bianca's conflicted expression.

_She not thinking of becoming a Hunter, is she?_ Jaz thought.

Bianca gave her a reassuring smile before averting her gaze to Artemis.

_Good. She's not_. Jaz thought brightly.

"Yes."

With one single word, all emotions except for shock drained out of Jaz's body.

"I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept maidenhood, and join the Hunt."

Artemis smiled. "I accept."

A sliver glow shrouded Bianca for a split second then disappeared.

_Nnnnooooooo!_ Jaz thought. What_ did you do Bianca!? You just threw away your life to be in some silly girl club!_

Apparently Jaz wasn't the only one who was disappointed. Percy looks like someone kicked his puppy. Then ran over it. Then burned it. Then dropped its ashes down a pit of doom.

Artemis looked back to Jaz. "Do you, Jazmine di Piante, want to become a hunter? If you do repeat the vow."

Usually Jaz wasn't shy but with everyone staring at her while she was going to make a decision that could change her life forever, she had the right to feel a teensy-weensy bit nervous.

"I-um." Jaz stuttered.

Now Bianca accepted the offer and Jaz remembered Nico couldn't join the Hunt (the thought of Nico prancing around in a sliver parka, shooting arrows into the sunset made Jaz wanted to laugh and puke at the same time), the whole situation changed completely. Instead of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, it was Cookies And Cream or Rocky Road. You _need_ to have both. Cookies And Cream or Rocky Road? Nico or Bianca? The two only people Jaz trust her life on. The two people she grew up with. Her two best friends. Nico or Bianca?

"I-I-"

The world seemed to stop spinning. Everything froze. She made her decision.

"No."

Everyone in the room seemed shocked. Utterly, completely shocked. Except Percy. He looked like Jaz just brought his puppy back to life.

"W-why?" Bianca choked out. She was so sure Jaz was going to join the Hunt with her. She thought she was just bluffing about the 'No. Can't leave Nico behind' thing.

"I want to grow up. At least until I'm twelve or thirteen. I also never had the reason to hate 'males.' I never experienced heart-break before. I don't think all guys are complete doofuses. It's just not right. You can't judge half the human population on things Zoë told you. I know my reason for not joining the Hunt. You joined the Hunt for no reason." Jaz said.

"I want this. I want to become a hunter." Bianca murmured, trying her best not to look Jaz in the eyes.

"And leave Nico?" she whispered. Jaz would never admit it but her voice cracked.

Bianca looked like she was to going start crying.

"Enough." Artemis said saving Bianca. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Jaz breathed.

"Well, once you grow up a bit and experience boys you'll want to accept this offer." Artemis handed her a glowing silver card. "Think about it."

Jaz got up from her seat and rushed out the tent. Her eye stung with tears but she refused to cry. She refused to.

{Nico}

"You see," Nico explained. "If Zeus decides to use the Master Bolt which uses up 1,000 energy and deals 700 damage, Ares can use Shield Effect and block 300 damage and still survive."

"I don't get it." Grover said with his eyebrows knitting together.

"Grrooover!" Nico whined. "I explained it about 6 times already."

"But that's weird. Zeus's lightning bolt can blast through anything. No measly shield can can that. Plus, Ares shield is metal which acts like a conductor for lightning, so wouldn't the damage be twice as strong? And why would Zeus want to hurt Ares? I'm mean he's annoying but not "I-want-to-blast-you-into-smithereens" annoying." Grover said still confused.

"Why can't people understand Myth-O-Magic?" Nico huffed. "It's always: 'Myth-O-Magic is lame, dude!' or 'Myth-O-Magiiiiiccc is, like, totes baby stuuufff.' or 'My mommy told me not to talk to crazy people. But she never said I couldn't take them home! Mommy! Can we take him to home? I could feed him Fruit Loops and Ms. Princess Glitter Lip Gloss!' I mean, seriously people. It seems like no one pays attention- Grover? Grover?"

Nico snapped his fingers in front of Grover face and Grover's eyelids jerked open.

"What?" Grover said looking around. "Are we under attack? Did Artemis let the girls date? Did Thalia kill Percy? W-"

"No!" Nico interrupted. "None of that happened. I was just talking."

Nico plopped on the ground and started poking the grass.

"I need someone I could talk to. Where's Jaz?"

Right when her name was said, Jaz came running from around the corner. Nico got up.

"Hey, Jaz. Where have you- OOOMMPPH!"

She tackled him with a bone-crushing hug.

"Can't breeze." Nico wheezed.

Jaz ignored him.

Nico saw Percy walk by looking glum.

"Ppppsssssss. Percy!" Nico whispered.

Percy heard his name and looked around. He spotted Nico and huggy Jaz.

_What's going on?_ Nico mouthed.

Percy walked over to them and gently pried Jaz off of him.

"Hey, um, what's wrong?" he asked.

Nico could tell by the way he fidgeted Percy didn't have much experience comforting people.

"How could she!?" Jaz whispered, her eyes rimmed with tears threaten to fall.

"You'll get to see her once in a while." Percy said trying his best to soothe her.

Poor him. When Jaz gets worked up, she gets worked up. It's like an overdose of emotions. Too happy. Too sad. Too angry. Something he said finally registered in Nico's mind.

What does he mean by once in a while? Nico thought.

"O-once in a while. Not a-always." Jaz croaked, extremely close bursting into tears.

Nico was getting really confused. Bianca who was talking to a hunter saw Nico and Grover standing awkwardly next to Percy who was trying to calm down hiccuping Jaz. She excused herself and started walking over to them.

"It's okay. It's okay. Don't cry." Percy said and started standing up. "Let's go see Thalia and you two can talk about horrible hunters are and how they ruined your life."

He finally noticed Bianca standing next to him.

"Oh sorry." he says without looking Bianca in the eye.

"Percy, give her to me. I can calm her down." Bianca whispered and reached for Jaz.

Percy grabbed Jaz's arm and pulled her away from Bianca. Nico saw a tinge of betrayal in his eyes.

"I think you caused enough damage." he mumbled but Bianca heard.

Her eyes harden a bit.

"Come on, Jaz. I'll explain why I did it." Bianca said quietly.

Jaz made a gasping sound before turning around and looking at Bianca square in the eye.

"I know why you did it. Because you're selfish." Jaz whispered slowly. Jaz had a creepy habit of whispering when she's angry. It's like a quiet, scary scream. She said every word like she was stating a fact. Like Bianca was actually selfish. "You just want to have fun and be 'free.' You left Nico and I in a heartbeat. How could you? You're selfish, conceited, and mean. I never. ever. want to see you again."

Jaz turned on her heels and practically ran away. Percy snapped into his senses and ran after her. Nico never seen Jaz that angry in his whole life and he knew her since we were babbling babies. She wasn't even that angry when Bianca grounded her from water slide for 2 month because she spilled chocolate cake on the duke of England's suit.

For a second Bianca's eyes welled with tears. Nico thought she was going to go after Jaz like always and they would both make up and be best friends again like they always did. But she didn't. B stood there blinking tears out of her eyes. Whatever Bianca did, it was huge. Nico went up to her and tugged on her sleeve.

"What did you do?" he whispered.

Bianca seemed to turn to stone. Sharp, dangerous stone.

"I did nothing wrong." her voice was like metal daggers. Hard and hurt.

"What did you do?" Nico repeated, getting worried.

Bianca stared at Nico. Her loving black eyes were cold and angry. For the longest time she didn't say anything. Without a word, she turned around and walked away.

"Me becoming a Huntress isn't surprising when you see the dependent babies I have to babysit 24/7. " Bianca muttered darkly but Nico heard her loud and clear.

He felt himself tear up against his will.

_She thinks I'm an immature, dependent baby?_

But more importantly:

_She's a Huntress?_

Nico's heart was one flick from breaking.

"Oh gosh. I have to comfort you, don't I? Great, let's get this over with. Come here, Nico." Grover sighed.

Flick! Nico felt his world crumbling.

"EVEN YOU THINK I'M A PAIN!" Nico yelled.

Unlike Jaz he tended to burst.

Grover eyes widen twice their size.

"Nononono!" he said. "I didn't mean it like tha-"

"Save your breath." Nico snarled, feeling angry and bitter. "Like everyone is saying: I'm not worth it anyways."

Nico ran away, ignoring everyone and everything.

...

Nico found Jaz sitting solemnly under a tree. Her knees were drawn up to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. Her head was leaning against the tree trunk, tilting slightly to the sky, giving the impressions she was asleep.

But if you looked closely you would see every muscle in her body was tense and rigid like she was waiting for someone to jump out a bush and attack.

Her usual green happy eyes were a solid onyx black. And blank, too. No emotion of any sort was showing on her pale face. Despite her ADHD Jaz didn't get drowned in her thoughts like him.

Nico could stare at her forever and not figure out what she was thinking. He hated this when it happened. It was like gravity lost connection with Jaz and she just floated away. She wasn't connected to Earth anymore. She was just wandering around in space, completely engrossed in her thoughts to notice anything or anyone. Not even him. It was a weird way of saying you're sad. Actually sad isn't a strong enough of a word. Maybe depressed. Melancholy. Empty.

Nico sat there next to her for who-knows-how-long. Maybe 10, 30 minutes, or even an hour passed before he started getting worried. Jaz was frozen in this position this whole time. Her muscles didn't untense, her chest barely moved as she inhaled and exhaled, and she didn't seemed to blink. It's either she was blinking at the same time he was or she seriously had a blinking problem.

"Jaz?" he whispered.

No response. She still sat there, staring at some point in space.

"Jaz?" Nico said a bit louder, getting concerned.

She didn't react.

"Jazmine di Piante!" Nico shook her shoulders, making her head bobble back and forward.

Slowly, she came back to her senses. Her eyes regained their focus.

"Hmm?" she sounded like she just woke up.

"Are you okay? You sat there like a zombie. I called your name three times before you finally responded." Nico said, not giving her time to answer.

Jaz studied him. She stared right at him, her eyes boring into his. Then, her mouth split into a grin. Her black eyes turned into a gray, then a grayish green, then the usual sparkling green.

"Wanna play Myth-O-Magic?" she asked.

Nico really wanted to asked how she got from sad to happy so fast, but he realized he might be pushing his limits on her mood. A mad Jaz equals utter chaos. Girls have weird mood changes all the time, right? Besides who can resist Myth-O-Magic?

{Percy}

"Apollo has sooo many attack points!"

Guess who that is?

"I still think Athena is better!" Nico retorted.

"Whatever. Let's go see Apollo!" Jaz said.

"He's in my backpack."

"Not the figurine, you dummy. Apollo Apollo. The REAL one."

"Oohhh... Race you there."

It was like the incident with Bianca never happened. Nico and Jaz were running up the hill screaming defense, attack, and bonus points at the top of their lungs. Even from down here Percy can hear Jaz and Nico exchanging insults.

"They're so innocent."

Percy jumped, completely startled. Standing next to him was Thalia leaning next to a snow covered (haha) pine tree.

"Jeez, Thals. When did you develop ninja skills?" he said.

She just smirked, letting the comment slid.

"Let's go."

By the time they got to the top of the hill Jaz, Nico, and the Hunters were already in the van. Artemis was scolding Apollo for flirting with one of her hunters, probably Zoë. When Apollo spotted Thalia, he grinned.

"Ah, Thalia! Back to life, eh? I knew you were always a rule-breaker. Care to drive the this baby?" He smiles.

Thalia visibly paled.

"N-no." Thalia cleared her throat. "No. Don't feel like it."

Apollo dismissed her strange behavior and peered in his car.

"Anyone care to take this baby for a jolly-ride."

It was dead silent until:

"We want to drive. "

Apollo whipped around and saw Jaz and Nico both squeezed in the driver's seat grinning like mad men that just successfully robbed a bank.

"Okay." he said before tossing them the car keys which Nico accurately caught.

"What!?" Thalia shrieked. "You can't let a pair of ten-year olds drive a car. Especially a pair of sugar filled _demigods _driving a _flying _car."

"I thought you were a rule-breaker." Nico said, doing a bad attempt of wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm a rule-breaker but I'm not _insane_." Thalia scoffed.

"C'mon, Thalia. I hold the record of best driving in Race Cars 3. I can handle this." Jaz pleaded, her puppy eyes getting bigger and cuter.

"Fine." Thalia said giving in. "Why do kids have such big eyes?"

"It's a gift." Nico responded.

"Put the keys in, Nico! I want to drive off into the sunset where rainbows and unicorns pay!" Jaz bounced up and down in her seat.

"Technically," Nico started, "We're in the sun so we can't drive to the sunset. Second of all, unicorns don't exist. Third of all, don't you mean play?"

"No, I meant pay. They're so sparkly and glimmer but really they're vicious. They also hurts your eyes. It's too bright. I also had a reason to hate rainbows but I don't remember why."

"You're weird."

"I've been told."

Nico finally found the keyhole. He plugged the key in the hole and the engine revved to life.

"Whoopee! Start the car! Start the car!" Jaz shrieked with delight.

"The accelerator's on your side, genius." Nico smirked.

"Oh. Oh yeah."

Jaz slammed her foot against the accelerator with a bit too much force.

RRROOOOOOMM!

Percy's hair flew off his face.

"Slow down!" He shouted but it got lost in the wind.

"Left!" Apollo yelled. "I mean, veer left, honey. Umm... Honeys."

Nco pulled the wheel towards him. The car went right.

"The other left." Apollo suggested.

"Niiiico!" Jaz whined. "You're on the RIGHT! I'm on the LEFT! I should have pulled the wheel!"

"You were to slow."

"Am not!" Jaz insulted by being called slow, she stomped angrily.

Unfortunately she stomped right in the accelerator.

Why are the windows down? Percy accidentally looked down. They were so high up, the sky was looking black.

"Take your foot off the accelerator!" Nico yelled.

"I did! Press the brake!"

Nico hit the brakes with so much force you can hear the pedals cracking.

The car stopped.

"Uh oh." Jaz and Nico said in unison.

They fell.

"AAAAHHHHHH!"

"You idiot!" Jaz roared. "Not that hard!"

Jaz jerked the wheel up. They stopped falling. The bad thing was the car were right on top of a small England town. The town lit on fire.

"Up! Up!" Nico shouted.

"Okay. Okay."

They went up and headed back on the right track.

"Long Island, dead ahead. Let's slow down dear, um, dearies. 'Dead' is only an expression." Apollo pointed.

We were a couple hundred yards away.

"Brake, Nico!"

CRACK!

Once again Nico slammed his foot so hard the brake broke. We hit the lake with a BBBAAAMMM!

"Let's do that again!" Jaz cheered.

"NO!" everyone shot down her idea.

Apollo made three post-it notes appear out of nowhere. He wrote on all the post-it notes and stuck two of them on Jaz's and Nico's forehead. Then, he stuck the last one on the windshield.

They all say:

**DO NOT LET**

**TEN YEAR OLDS**

**DRIVE A**

**FLYING CAR**

**ESPECIALLY THESE**

**CRAZY MANIACS**

_- Apollo_

"I got Apollo's autograph!"

* * *

{Jaz}

After they swam out the lake, Percy started taking them to the 'The Big House.' They walked past several cabins.

Cabin 1 was pretty creepy. It was empty and hollow besides the ten-foot Zeus staring ou down p.

Cabin 2... Did Jaz say Cabin 1 was creepy? Cabin 2 was twenty times creepier. The Hera statue was like saying, 'If you don't do what I say, I would ask-no, order my husband to make your life living hell.' Jaz was really glad Hera didn't have children.

Cabin 3 was really homey. She could just picture Percy lazing about in there.

Cabin 4 was a gardener's dream. Also known as Jaz's dream. Plants pouring out of every crack or window. The roof was made out of grass. The people there looked really friendly. Except this one girl who was screaming her head off at a boy.

Cabin 5... Jaz really don't want to be in the Ares cabin. End of story.

Cabin 6 Those brainiacs nearly talked off her head. Jaz believes in wisdom and smartness but they really overdo it.

Cabin 7 Ahhhh! My eyes! Cabin 7 was like a big fat sun. The kids walking around there were like mini-Apollos.

Cabin 8 As Bianca and her new buddies filed in the Artemis cabin she stopped and whispered in her ear.

"I'm sorry. Please join." Bianca begged. "We could have so much fun here."

Jaz scowled and stomped after Nico.

Did she really think she would forgive her and join the little 'club' after a measly 'I'm sorry?' She wouldn't join Artemis's little group in a million years.

Nico got the vibe Jaz didn't want to talk, judging from the steam practically pouring out her ears. He'll just wait until after the orientation movie.

...

"Whoa! You're Dionysus!" Nico shouted excitedly as they got out the orientation film.

Jaz was jittering with excitement.

"You're the Wine Dude!" they yelled in unison.

Mr. D looked up from his deck of cards.

"The wine dude?" he questioned.

They started rattling off about his attack points and our opinions. Everyone seemed amused and a little relieved. She wondered why.

...

Nico and Jaz roared with laughter.

They spent their whole lunch and free time planning and putting the prank into action but it was worth it to see Katie chasing Connor and Travis around camp, threaten to flay them alive.

According to their intelligence, the Stolls pranked Katie so many times, it was a piece of cake to prank Katie and frame the Stolls.

It was hilarious watching a big ball of cereal (a.k.a Katie) chase the Stolls. She wouldn't be able to wash off the cereal for days. Serves her right for yapping their ears off about the greatness of Cheerios instead of giving them a proper tour of Camp Half-Blood.

Jaz and Nico high-fived each other as they walked to the weapon shed with Thalia.

...

"This is so-o-o AWESOME!" Jaz cheered.

"I GOT A SWORD!" Nico eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Guys. Guys." Thalia called for attention.

"Huh?" They said in unison.

"These aren't toys they're-" she started.

"A sword!" Nico interrupted, brandishing his sword sloppily from his sheath. "A CELESTIAL BRONZE sword!"

"A dagger!" Jaz yelled. "A COOL dagger!"

"-dangerous." Thalia finished. "You can accidentally kill-"

"-a monster?" Nico interjected.

"Will you let me finish?" Thalia said and rubbed her temple. "Now I know what Percy feels like. Yes, you may accidentally kill a monster but you might accidentally kill your ally or yourself."

"Oh." Nico said lowering his sword.

"That's fun." Jaz said.

"The problem is you can hold your weapon in one hand. Your other hand is-"

"-just dangling like a piece of baloney?" Jaz cut in.

Thalia glared at Jaz. "Interruption."

"Sorry."

"As I was saying, you need another weapon in your other hand-"

"Actually," Nico began. "You weren't talking about another weapon earlier, you were talking about how your hand in dangling like a piece of baloney."

Thalia face was red from another interruption. "One-"

"I love baloney." Jaz interrupted.

Thalia sighed angrily. "Do you want me to give you these weapons to survive and not get eaten by monsters?"

They nodded meekly.

"Then you have to quiet." Thalia said.

"Fine."

"I'll try."

"Anyways, you need another weapon for your other hand."

...

"A pistol!" Jaz exclaimed. "I didn't know demigods were so futurey!"

"Actually pistols are pretty modern." Thalia said.

"Oh well." Jaz said. "I don't keep track of what's 'hip' and modern and what's not. Just a few months ago, people called things 'snazzy.'

"What?" Thalia said. "People don't say-"

"I got a shield!" Nico said gleefully. "It's so much better than a dumb ol' pistol."

"Excuse me?" Jaz's eyes narrowed. "This pistol can shoot anything that can fit in it! Celestial bronze bullets, darts, water-"

"Well, this shield can block all your attacks!" Nico countered.

"Well my pistol can-"

"Guys." Thalia said.

"What?" They snapped.

"Your swimming lesson with Percy is in-" Thalia checked her watch in her wrist. "4 minutes."

"We're late!" They yelled.

...

SWIMMING:

Percy tapped on Grover's shoulder. "Have you seen Nico and-"

"We're here!" They shouted.

"Good." Percy said. "Let's get started."

...

"I nearly DROWN!" Nico yelled as he collapsed on the sand.

Jaz coughed up seaweed in response.

They learned pretty quickly water wasn't their friend.

...

WRESTLING:

"Wrestling!" Clarisse barked. "Is a very important fighting skill. I have assigned you a partner on the bulletin board. Go!"

Jaz and Nico checked the list. Jaz ran her finger down the list until she reached her name. Her finger moved sideways.

"Who's Billy?"

"I am."

Jaz turned around to see a ball of muscle two times as big as her.

He spat on the ground and cracked his knuckles before sizing her down.

"Billy, son of Ares."

Nico wasn't having much lucky either.

"Lilly, daughter of Ares. Get ready to be pulverized, punk."

That day they learned they didn't like the Ares twins. The only thing good income was that they lost a few loose baby teeth.

...

JAVELIN THROW:

"I-I can't even pick it up!" Jaz struggled to lift the javelin off the ground.

"Aren't they suppose to be light?" Nico complained.

They spent the whole time trying to helping each other pick up and throw a javelin. In the end, they managed to throw 4 javelin... 2 feet.

Javelin was a no-no.

...

FOOT RACE:

"Ready, set, GO!"

In 10 minutes, Jaz and Nico ran around the ENTIRE track 7 times. That track is huge!

Maybe foot racing wasn't so bad.

...

ARCHERY:

Zoë: 20 of out 20 bull-eyes. Phoebe: 20 out of 20 bull-eyes. Bianca: 16 out of 20 bull-eyes. Jaz: 4 bull-eyes and a tail. Nico: 0 bull-eyes, hair, and a hoof.

Chiron wasn't as happy as they were.

...

DINNER

Jaz and Nico shaking silently in laughter as Lilly the daughter of Ares spun around wildly looking for the culprit who nailed her in the back of the head with potato salad.

"That's for beating up Nico and bullying kids." Jaz whispered.

Nico took spoon from Jaz's hand and loaded it with more potato salad. He pulled back the spoon and aimed at his target. As he let the front part of th spoon go he whispered: "That's for beating up Jaz and helping your sister bully kids."

Jaz and Nico tried stifling giggles as Billy roared in anger as the potato landed in his ginormous ear. They turned around instantly when Billy looked there way. When his gaze landed on someone else they peeked over their shoulder to Billy scratching his ear like a dog.

"Causing trouble on your first day?"

Jaz and Nico stopped laughing immediately. They turned around. Connor and Travis took the seat across from them, wearing identical frowns.

"I heard you two are the ones who framed us." Connor said accusingly.

"Heh. Heh." Nico laughed nervously.

Having pranksters as enemies is one word: BAD.

Jaz held out the peace offerings.

"Macaroons?"

...

"Did you see his face?" Nico laughed as they headed to the woods for Capture-The-Flag.

"He looked like you were a dancing chicken!" Connor slapped his knee. "KNEE SLAPPER!"

"I didn't mean to pop the balloon in his face!" Jaz said defending herself, but a tiny mischievous smile was etched on her face said otherwise.

"Yeah, you accidentally," Travis made air quotations with his fingers. "Popped a balloon filled with brown shaving cream over his head! He looked like a camel pooped all over his head!"

"Why a camel?" Nico hiccuped with laughter. "Why not a dog?"

"I don't know." Travis said.

"At least he liked the macaroons." Connor said.

The good thing about Jaz and Nico pranking people is that they always gave macaroons as little I'm-Sorry presents, hence them earning the names 'The Devious Macaroons' or more well-known 'The Cheshires' for their scary grins that resembled the Cheshire Cat.

By the time they got to the woods, Percy and Thalia were already assigning jobs.

"You four are going to be on border patrol." Thalia said to them.

Jaz stared at Thalia. "Did you assign us to border patrol because we're 'newbies.'

"What?" Connor and Travis had in unison. "We're not newbies."

"Jaz was talking about us." Nico gestured to himself and Jaz.

"Percy and I just want to be out of harm's way." Thalia said.

"We'll be fine." Jaz said. "Can't we come with you?"

Thalia shook her head as she walked away.

"So we're just going to be standing on a boulder all evening?" Jaz asked Travis as they walked to their post.

"Yeah. That pretty much sums up everything." Connor said.

"Meanwhile," Nico said. "Wanna figure out how many attack points Percy has?"

Jaz grinned. "You already know the answer."

...

After Percy looked like he was going to chop them up and throw off the boulder, Jaz and Nico thought it was a good idea to pester-sorry, hang out with Beckendorf.

"Are you half-giant?" Nico asked.

Beckendorf chuckled. He took their questions a lot better than Percy.

"You two make me sound like Hagrid."

Nico and Jaz exchanged confused looks. "Who's Hagrid?"

Beckendorf stopped laughing and looked at them with disbelief. "You don't know who Hagrid is? We're demigods but we know some stuff about the mortal world. That's like saying you don't know what Star Wars is."

Nico and Jaz shared another confused look before turning their attention to Beckendorf. "What's Star Wars?"

Beckendorf gaped at them. Before he could answer Percy shouted, "Hey! Can you cover for me!?"

"Sure thing, Perce!" Jaz answered for Beckendorf.

"Go kick some Hunters' butt!" Nico yelled as Percy climbed down the boulder.

They didn't speak until they watched Percy's figure disappear in the woods.

"You know, you just told Percy to kick Bianca's butt." Jaz stated.

"Oh." Nico blinked. "Oops."

They stood there in silence, watching for any movements in the woods. None.

"Hey, Beckendorf?" Nico said.

"Yeah?"

"Can I call you Dwarf Face?"

"What?" BeckenDORF said. "If I'm a dwarf, what are you? An ant?"

"No! I'm Nickels!" Nico said.

"Why Nickels?" Jaz piped in. "Why not Ego Head?"

"Hey!" Nico said. "I'm Nickels because you know _Nic_o? _Nic_kels?"

"They don't have the same pronunciation." Jaz pointed out.

"That lame." Beckendorf said. "How about Nics? Neeks? Chimichanga?"

"What? Where-" Nico stopped. "Nevermind. I'm not even going to ask."

"How come you get nicknames and I don't!" Jaz said.

"You could be Greenie." Nico said. "'Cause your eyes."

"Or Lil' Trumpet." Beckendorf said.

"Why?"

"Trumpet is all jazzy and your name is Jaz so-"

BANG! BANG!

They whipped around just in time to see Connor's and Travis's unconscious forms drop to the floor. Phoebe came into view. Jaz ducked just in time to avoid being skewered.

"No maiming!" Jaz yelled.

Phoebe paid her no attention as she fought all of them off. Phoebe was extremely good for a person who practiced for 300 years. Okay, that thought was just plain stupid.

"Where's the flag!?" Nico said frantically as he tried to block Phoebe's attacks.

Realization dawned to her.

"It's a trick!" Jaz yelled.

"You have no idea how much that sounds like-" Beckendorf was interrupted when Phoebe slammed her shield im his face.

Beckendorf stumbled backwards but regained his balance.

Jaz scanned the area. Zoë Nightshade was just a few yard away from the border.

An image of Thalia and Percy's disappointed face flashed through her mind.

How could you fail us? Their voices echoed.

There was a strange tug in her gut. All of a sudden, the noise of millions of twigs snapping filled the forest. Birds were chirping in distress as they flew away. In unison, all 2,000 trees outlining the lake bent over, creating a perfect wall, blocking Zoë from her victory.

Jaz collapsed on the boulder. She felt exhausted. Her limbs seemed to be turn to a bunch of dumbbells. It seemed like the air pressure was increasing on her. She felt like was slowly getting crushed. Black seemed to dance in her vision, slowly getting bigger and bigger. Out of her peripheral vision Jaz saw Zoë snap out her shock of the trees' sudden movement and she started climb. But not fast enough.

On the other side of the barrier Percy shot out of water like a cannonball and landed on their side of the forest...with the flag in hand.

_We won_.

Jazmine di Piante was out before she even hit the floor.


	4. Gone

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS! Rick Riodan owns almost everything in here! Do I look like a middlish age man who grew up in the 19somethings and now has a wife and two kids!? If you said yes, I would be extremely offended.**

**AN: Heh. Heh. I know you all are pretty angry at me. Well, better late than never, right? Anyways, I got a couple reviews saying I need to make chapters shorter. I try but it doesn't really work. I'll try to make chapters shorter but no guarantees. Also, I've been thinking about Jaz and Nico. Should I make them a couple? I mean, not now. They're ten. That would be highly inappropriate. Wow, I sound like Hazel. Review! :)**

**-CookiesCream333, Teenage Fanfiction Author who would be extremely flattered if she got 20 views and 10 reviews.**

**Chapter 3**

Jaz woke up to the sound of blades of a ceiling fan. Forcing her heavy eyelids open, she was greeted by a hazing image of a boy at the feet of her bed.

"Ni-ico?" she croaked.

Jaz winced. She sounded like she spent several hours eating saw dust. That two syllable name make her throat clench in pain. All saliva that once resided in her mouth was gone, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.

Nico's head shot up.

"Jaz!" he grinned, delighted to see her conscious. "You're awake!"

"Unless this is a dream." she said despite her pain-clenching throat.

"Ha!" Nico said. "That's the Jaz I know. At least we know an alien hasn't taken over your body during your sleep."

"How long was I out?" she managed to say.

"Not long. Just a couple hours." Nico shrugged. "Nothing really happened while you were out. Except the quest, of course."

Nico's eyes widen like he accidentally slipped out a secret.

"A quest!?" Jaz sat up so fast all the blood drained out of her head. Her throat was forgotten completely. Travis and Connor told them all about the dangers of quests. The chance of coming back alive is very, _very_ small. "Who's going?"

"Random people."

"Who are these random people?" Jaz questioned.

"Two campers and three hunters."

"Nico, seriously. Who are these people?" Jaz eyebrows raised. Nico didn't ever dodge question unless it was about...

Nico fiddled with his jacket zipper.

"Minor details, Jaz. Wanna play Myth-O-Magic?" he tried lamely to change the subject.

She gave him a pointed look.

He sighed.

"Phoebe-"

Jaz felt a little bad. Phoebe was one of those better hunters.

"-Zoë-"

_I don't care if that she-devil drowns in a pit of lava._ Jaz's mind snorted but her heart said contrary.

"-Grover-"

No matter how infuriating that satyr could be, Jaz will miss him. Of course, if he dies. To be honest she had a good feeling Grover will survive. No offense, but compared to the others he wasn't all that important.

"- and Thalia-"

Thalia's a daughter of Zeus. She'll take care of herself.

Jaz was so caught up in her thoughts, she barely noticed Nico only named the four people.

"Who's the fifth?" she said.

"Um, uh, s-she's unimportant." Nico stammered like he thought Jaz wouldn't notice.

"She?" Jaz asked.

She could practically see Nico mentally slapping himself.

"Um, no! I meant he!" Nico said frantically.

"So it's a guy." Jaz said.

"No! Why would a hunter be a guy!?"

"So this girl is a hunter."

"Fine! She's a hunter." Nico said. "Just stop, Jaz. You know she wouldn't back out even if you tried to convince her."

"I know her?"

The feeling of dread filled her stomach. Clues, clues, clues. They all led to _her_.

Nico said, "Yes! You know her. I know you know!"

"You know I know what?" Jaz wouldn't believe it until she heard Nico say it.

"I know you know what I know from what Connor knows."

"Huh?"

Nico was red and flustered. "It's Bianca, okay!"

The hallow silence filled the room for a couple of seconds.

"I know." Jaz whispered.

Nico looked at her cautiously as if she was going explode any second.

He said slowly, "They're leaving tonight."

The reaction was almost instant.

"T-t-tonight?" Jaz spluttered.

_They're leaving!? They probably just got the prophecy an hour ago!_

"Tonight." Nico confirmed, twiddling with his thumbs. "I was thinking we should-"

"-follow them." Jaz finished. "Help me up. We have a quest to crash."

* * *

After finally convincing (*cough* threatening *cough*) the Apollo kids to let 'the poor sick little patient' leave, Jaz and Nico stumbled out the medic center, and quietly sprinted to the Artemis Cabin, dodging a couple harpies on the way.

As they were about to cross the dinner pavilion to reach the Artemis cabin Nico hissed:

"Hide!"

Jaz lunged behind one of the many columns of the pavilion.

Zoë and Bianca were conversing about a... Stream? No, a dream. Yeah, a dream. Jaz strained her ears to hear the conversation. Wow, Hunters know how to whisper. After Zoë and Bianca finished their talk and Jaz collected all the information, a voice behind them spoke up as they were going to approach the Hunters.

"Wait."

Jaz and Nico whipped around. Percy Jackson.

"Where did you come from?" Nico said.

Percy explained the whole invisible thing. Cool.

"You were going to follow them on the quest, weren't you?" he said.

Nico and Jaz nodded.

"You can't follow them." Percy said before he started listing all the dangers of being on a quest.

Jaz was about to ask him 'Why don't you go then?' but Nico beat her to it.

"You go, then. You have that hat. Go follow them. Besides, maybe you can rescue Annabeth." Nico said.

"Is it that obvious?" he sighed.

"You have been ranting about Annabeth for a while now." Jaz had to bite her tongue from adding 'Because you love her.' "This is the perfect opportunity. _But_, if you do go, you have to promise us to protect Bianca at all cost."

"But-"

Nico cutted him off. "Promise us."

They stared deep into Percy's eyes, searching for any signs of lying. No puppy eyes. Just straight up grown up, 'Promise me' looks.

"I promise to protect Bianca the best I can." Percy said reluctantly.

Jaz and Nico beamed.

"Go." Nico said.

Percy blinked like he didn't believe they actually let him go. He stood there, rooted to the ground, staring at them like an idiot.

"Go!" Jaz snapped. "They're leaving! Run!"

Percy jolted to life and started sprinting away.

"We'll cover for you!" Nico called.

"Trust me!" Jaz yelled. "We know how to lie!"

Percy mounted Blackjack and faded into the horizon.

Jaz felt a little tug in her heart. Every fiber, every cell of Jaz prayed Bianca would come back alive. No matter what, all siblings never truly hate each other. Jaz hoped Percy wouldn't be one of those heroes. The ones who are narcissists, make false promises, blame people on their mistakes, and only does things for themselves. The ones can't trust.

"We can trust him." Nico said like he read Jaz's mind. "He won't let us down like _other_ people."

"He's a true hero." Jaz whispered but she herself didn't know for sure.

"A true hero." Nico muttered.

"A true hero will bring our sister back safe. Percy will." Jaz murmured.

But the unsettling void in her stomach said otherwise.

* * *

Day 1

"You like him!?"

After Jaz had been abducted by the Aphrodite kids and she flipped out when they tried to ship Jaz and Nico (Seriously? Jazico. It sounds like some sort of fancy taco. If you try to give someone a minor heart while they're throwing up, do it with style), Silena ushered Jaz outside for fresh air to prevent her from hurling on another pair of Gucci shoes.

Coincidentally, Beckendorf was taking a break from the forges. He happened to walk by Silena and Jaz... Shirtless. The moment Silena and Beckendorf caught sight of each other they melted in a puddle of blushing goo. After they exchanged a 'H-h-hi', before they quickly sped away still blushing. Silena was goggling at Beckendorf so intensely, she crashed, head-first, into a pole.

"Ow." Silena muttered, rubbing her head while Jaz helped her up.

"You like him." It wasn't a question but rather a statement.

"I-I-I-" Silena stuttered.

That was all the proof Jaz needed. (That and the blushing, nervousness, love-sick eyes, day dreamy expression, constant creepy staring, etc.)

"Awwwww!" Jaz gushed. "Am I invited to the wedding?"

"Jaz!" Silena blushed.

"Are you going to ask him out?" Jaz asked, innocently. "You know as your first date you should wear a nice blue dress-"

"No." Silena interrupted.

"No?" Jaz eyebrow arched with confusion. "What do mean 'No?'

"He's too-" Silena paused. "-good. He's too good for me. He won't like me."

"He won't like you!?" Jaz bursted. She's a daughter of Aphrodite! Shouldn't should be able to sense these lovey dovey things!? "Did you see his face when he walked by!? He was like a big red stuttering tomato!"

"And I'm a small pink stuttering zucchini!" Silena said dramatically. "We're from two different worlds! There's no hope!"

Silena fled back to her cabin before Jaz could say anything encouraging or question her choice of words.

Jaz was left there to ponder. Slowly, her signature devious Cheshire Cat grin stretched across her face.

_I wonder what's its like to play Cupid._

* * *

Jaz sacrificed half the portion of her lunch to Hermes and Aphrodite before sliding into a seat next to Nico.

"I need your help." she whispered.

"With what?" Nico said, shoving more pizza in his already full mouth.

Jaz smiled as she explained her plans.

* * *

Day 2

How did Jaz and Nico get Silena and Beckendorf together by luring and trapping them in a golden net in the middle of the woods for 3 hours and spying on them through a camera, snickering everytime they blushed or Beckendorf told a lame pick-up line while stuttering every two second?

Don't ask.

During campfire Jaz and Nico celebrated their victories while ignoring the some of the more-than-average annoying campers. Someone made them a new nickname. "The Sneakers" or more widely known: "Hey-you-twerps-ya-better-run-while-you-still-have-legs!" Geez people have some creativity.

Anyways, 'The Sneakers' and the Stolls had a fine time pranking unsuspecting campers. Good way to end a day.

* * *

Day 3

**Wake up. _Check._**

**Pester the Stolls to see if Bianca returned. _Check._**

...

Jaz pulled on Travis's sleeve. "Is Bianca back?"

Before he could respond, Nico popped out of nowhere and asked. "Is Bianca back?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"Is she?"

"IS SHE?"

"IS-"

"No." Connor deadpanned as he walked by.

...

**Get ready. _Check._**

"Nico!" Jaz screamed, rapped her knuckles against the bathroom door. "Where'd you put my emergency Myth-o-Magic pack!? I need those for Greek Class! I'll die of boredom without them!"

Jaz heard an audible thump from inside the bathroom. She rolled her eyes.

"A word of advice, when you put on your pants, you open the zipper and then put them on slowly!" Jaz yelled. "Don't just jump in them!"

"Thanks!"

"Stupido." Jaz muttered.

**Eat Breakfast. _Check._**

...

"FOOD FIGHT!"

...

**Prank someone. _Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check._**

...

"Hey!"

"Get back here you twerps!"

"Good one."

"You're dead. Deader than a-"

"How ja do that?"

"I prefer chocolate whip cream on my head. Shaving cream belongs in my bed."

"How did you figure out the trajectory of balloon? If Quantum physics didn't allow 364 kinetic energy model planes to pass the Sir William John test, how-"

"My shoes!"

...

**Attend Greek Mythology class. _Check._**

...

"Wake up!"

...

**Prank someone. _Check._**

...

"You little-"

...

**Attend archery class. (Ignore Hunters.) _Check._**

...

"Are you sure you don't want to join the Hunt?"

...

**Prank someone. _Check._**

...

"Wha-"

...

**Attend sword fighting. _Check._**

**Attend footrace. _Check. Check. Check. Check._**

**Daydream. _Check._**

**Make friends unconsciously. _Check._**

...

"I'm Jaz!"

"And I'm Nico!" Nico piped in.

"I'm Hestia." The girl said quietly, still poking the flames.

"Cool!" Jaz said. "You remind me of a card in a game I play! Wanna see it?"

Without taking no for an answer, 'The Sneakers' plopped on the ground and started showing Hestia all the different, types of Hestia. Vintage Hestia card. Support Hestia card. Tank Hestia. Holiday season. Offensive. Foil. Improved.

"Isn't Hestia so cool!?"

They didn't notice the fire grew a little brighter.

After they explored the Hestia cards, Jaz and Nico showed her how to play.

"You awesome at this!"

The flames grew warmer. More homey.

After 30 minutes of playing Nico noticed the streams of campers heading towards the dinner pavilion.

"Oh, we got to go! It's lunch!"

"Next time we'll bring our whole collection!" Jaz said as she got up.

"Next time?" Hestia whispered.

"Yep!" They chorused.

As they walked away, they didn't notice how big and beautiful the fire looked. They didn't know how happy they made someone.

Hestia smiled.

"Thank you." she murmured. "Thank you."

...

**Eat Lunch. _Check._**

...

"I love pizza!"

...

**Prank people. _Check._**

...

"What the-"

...

**Attend the rest of the 'hero training.' _Check._**

...

"You nearly SLICED off my arm!"

...

**Sneak off into the woods and bond with nymphs. _Check._**

...

"You two adorbies are so-o-o helpful! I totally needed that relaxing time."

...

**Eat dinner. _Check.  
_**

...

**Sulk for five minutes on not being claimed. _Check._**

...

"Mother!" Jaz screamed to the sky.

"Father!" Nico yelled.

"We're standing here! Claim us!"

...

**Attend campfire. _Check._**

...

"Jingle bells-"

"-see her shoes? Soooo last-"

"-Chug that milk! Chug that milk! Chug-"

"-Hey! How was-"

"-200th prank. Whoo ho-"

"-Marshmallows are delici-"

...

**Prank someone. _Check._**

...

"1)Where do you get all these ideas? 2) Come back here, ya little troublemakers!"

...

**Go to cabin. _Check._**

...

**Get ready for bed. _Check._**

...

"Jaz! Those are my pjs!"

"Well, you've wearing my socks!"

...

**Go to sleep. _Check._**

...

"_Buonanotte._ **(Goodnight)** " Jaz yawned. "_Non lasciare il morso delle cimici_.** (Don't let the bedbugs bite**)"

"_Buonanotte_."

...

**Try not to have nightmares. Keyword: Try. _Check. _**

* * *

"BIANCA, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Jaz and Nico woke up with a start.

Jaz rolled to her side, facing Nico.

"Did you have-"

"-the dream about-"

"Talos?"

The tempature seemed to dropped ten degrees. Jaz and Nico paled.

"I-It's the coincidence. We had the same dream. It's not real." Jaz said unconvincingly.

"Yeah." Nico said, wiping sweat off. "Probably just paranoia."

How wrong they were. Little did they know things were about to change. Things were about to change very, very soon.

* * *

**493 pranks later... (Two days later)**

Nico woke up from his nap to the sound of his name.

"Don't tell Nico and Jaz. They don't need to know." Nico identified the voice as Travis Stoll.

"It's going to kill them when they figure it out." That's probably Connor.

"I can't believe they're back."

"Yeah, Percy's back."

Nico swore for a second his heart stopped. Bianca's back!

"Bianca's back?"

Travis and Connor jumped.

"You're wake?"

"Obviously." Nico grinned. He seemed to be incapable of wiping his smiile off his face.

"I got to wake up Jaz!"

Nico bounced out of his sleeping bag, excitedly.

"Jaz! Jaz! Wake up!" he shook her shoulders.

"No. No!" she muttered.

A nightmare, of course.

"Jaz! Wake up!"

She thrashed harder.

"No. Don't leave." she murmured.

"Jaz! Bianca's back!"

Jaz sat up quicker than you can say quick.

"What!?"

* * *

After ten minutes of flurry excitement, Jaz and Nico were ready to see their sister. At first they wanted to charge to the Big House in their pajamas and messed up hair but knowing their sister she would give them a lecture about the winter cold. It's time for celebrating not lessons on frostbites!

Ever since Bianca left for her quest, the two troublemakers have been planning Bianca's return home. They literally planned every minute of the day.

First, they would hug and forgive her for joining the Hunters. Next, they'll ask for every detail of the quest. Then, they would joke around before they dragged Bianca off to play Myth-O-Magic with Hestia. Turns out, Hestia's a goddess! Who knew? After that, Bianca would become best friends with them and Hestia. The rest day would just be total fun.

Jaz and Nico tried to pull off the We-Were-Very-Responsible-While-You-Were-Gone-And-Have-Matured-A-Lot look. Abandoning the cargo pants and ugly oversized Camp Half-Blood for a day, Jaz and Nico looked like normal kids. Jeans, a fitting T-shirt, a sweater and green beanie for Jaz, a 'manly' black jacket for Nico, and too small winter boots. After for seemed like 50,000 minutes (In reality it was 2 minutes) Jaz finished her side braid and Nico packed their Myth-O-Magic bag. Their whole collection was in there!

"Don't we look so grown up?" Jaz asked Connor and Travis, her green eyes sparkling.

"Yeah, doesn't this screamed sophisticated?" Nico beamed.

"Don't grown up too fast, kid." Travis responded.

"See ya later!" Nico said heading towards the door.

"Bye!"

"Wait." Connor said.

"What? We need to go."

"Here." Travis handed them two identical boxes, his face looked like it was jammed on poker face mode.

"Shoes?" Jaz's eyebrows raised as she lifted the black sneakers out the box.

"We noticed your boots are too small. 'The Sneakers' deserved some fitting sneakers." Travis said monotoned. "Put them on."

The shoes fitted them perfectly. Too perfect.

"How'd you know our size?" Nico asked suspiciously.

"We don't." Connor confessed.

"Those shoes change to whatever size the person wants." Travis said. "Oh, also they sprout wings so the user can fly. Just say 'Maia.'"

'The Sneakers' stared at the Stolls.

"They're magical." Jaz stated.

"Yeah. And?" Connor said.

"Why are you giving it to us?" Nico said.

"We'll always be here for you, okay?" Travis said, his eyes were missing their spark of humor.

"You guys are our siblings now. Siblings watch out for each other." Connor explained.

"Thanks." Nico and Jaz felt genuinely touched.

"You should go see Percy."

"Yeah, bye!"

The two raced out the Hermes Cabin, heading towards the Big House.

"I wonder why the Stolls were so deep." Jaz said.

"Yeah. They didn't even crack a joke." Nico said, thinking how odd they were acting.

"How come they never said B's name?"

"I dunno."

Dismissing the Stolls weird behavior, Jaz and Nico were over the moon with excitement.

"Bianca's back!" Jaz muttered happily to herself.

When they arrived at the Big House, they practically kicked the doors down. Inside was Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Chiron. The talking came to a halt. Everyone seemed to be frozen in time, sympathetic expression staring back at them. The two pairs of eyes scanned the room but didn't find the person they were looking-no, hoping for.

"Where's my sister?"

The three words echoed throughout th room, scathing their ears and heart with guilt.

Percy blinked but recovered quickly.

"I need to talk to you guys."

Jaz would of laughed at how much that sounded like a break-up line if the situation wasn't so serious. What happened? The excitement that Jaz and Nico held prior, seemed to seep out of them.

Percy led them outside, like he wanted them to have some fresh air or something. After a little while of walking in awkward silence, he started his story. The story of the junkyard. The story of Talos. The story of how their sister died.

Every word seemed like a poisonous arrow getting lodged into their hearts. At first you felt fine, then numbness, then hurt. You felt like you were slowly dying.

Percy fished out the gifts Bianca died getting for them. A 'magical' feather for Jaz and the Hades figurine for Nico. She died for some stupid souvenirs?

Jaz let it sink in. She let it sink in that the brown-haired kind eyed girl she knew would never walk Earth again. She let it sink in that the Hunter she knew left. She let it sink in her sister would never hug her again. She let it sink in that one of the people she cared most about in the entire cosmos was gone. She let it sink in the girl she knew forever would never breath, would never feel, would never walk, would never be the same. She let it sink in Bianca di Angelo was dead.

Her eyes welled up with tears and her throat was clenched, trying to keep a sob at bay.

Percy kept on rambling on about how Bianca was a hero and how did sacrificed herself to save their life.

Jaz's tears seemed to evaporate. The sob died and was replaced with a burning feeling in her chest.

Jaz didn't care. She didn't freaking care. So what? She saved a band of heroes. Yeah, 'heroes.' A useless goat boy, a stuck-up eternal maiden, a goth girl who really isn't as tough as she thinks, and a stupid dense boy who can't live up to his promise. Even if she saved some useful people, Jaz wouldn't of cared . Heck, she could of saved the Gods of Olympus, and Jaz wouldn't care. She didn't care if Bianca was a hero. She just wanted Bianca alive.

...

Percy was really getting worried. Throughout the entire time he was explained, those two didn't utter a single word. They were just like zombies walking beside him. Just as they arrived at the dinner pavilion, Nico finally spoke up.

"You promised."

It was hard to believe it was Nico who spoke. The little boy he met a week ago had excitement and emotion in everything he did or spoke. This person standing next to him was the polar opposite. His voice was hollow and incredibly empty, making him sound like he just went a hundred of burdens. But his now tartarus black eyes were roaring with rage. Percy felt his heartbeat quicken a little bit.

"I-" Percy started.

"You promised." Nico raised his voice a little bit.

"Nico, I tried. I tried to stop her. I really did but-"

"Shut up and listen. We don't want to hear any of your pathetic excuses, Jackson."

This time it was little Jaz who spoke. Little sweet, innocent Jaz who could never say a harsh word to anybody. That sentence defied her personality completely. Percy winced slightly. She spat out his names like it was cow pie.

Percy glanced ar her. She was glowering at him. Her green happy eyes were replaced with black eyes darker than Tartarus, and roaring like Hell Fire. Her hair changed color, now ebony black. She and Nico seemed to glow dangerously in the dark. The thing that hurt him most was how much hatred was showing in her eyes. It was practically pouring out of her. As hard as it was to say, two doll-sized ten year-olds were scaring Percy Jackson.

"You lied to us." Her voice held ten times more venom than the scorpion Luke sent on him. "You lied right to our faces. We trusted you. You rose our hopes then crushed it like what you did to Bianca. You're worse than Atlas. You're evil."

Thick, spiky vines started crawling up the pavilion's columns, encasing it completely. It was probably just Mr. D getting drunk.

"She might be still alive." Percy said desperately. "We didn't find her b-"

"No." Nico interrupted, his eyes pressed closed. "She's in the fields of Asphodel right now, getting judged. I feel it."

"You feel it? What do you mean?"

The shadows of the night started getting longer, seemingly reaching out to Jaz and Nico.

_It's getting dark._ Percy thought.

Nico opened his mouth to respond. Just then, CCCRRRRR.

"S-skeletons." Jaz gasped.

"You going to kill us!" Nico said. "First Bianca, then Zoë, and now us! How could you!?"

"Nonono." Percy said. "I didn't-"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Jaz hissed. "I don't need to hear some lame 'I didn't do it.' A week ago my life changed. I'm a demigod, my sister leaves me for some silly girl club, I'm stuck in an orange camp, everyone thinks I'm a naïve child! And to top it off, even though you promised to keep my sister safe, she comes back dead! Oh wait, she didn't come back! You left her freakin' body in some stinky desert!"

All of a sudden her expression changed from angry to sad.

"The last thing I said to her was a string of insults. We never made up. I never said goodbye. I never told how a great sister she was. I never told her I loved her."

Then back to angry. Her voice quiet down but now ten times bone shuddering.

"Because of _you_."

Percy gulped. The skeleton got closer and closer. He didn't know who was scarier: An army of invincible, bloodthirsty made up of the walking dead or two young angry half-bloods.

It was Nico's turn to talk.

"You're the reason Bianca died." Nico yelled. You're the reason we know we're demigods. If you didn't exist we would of been happy, enjoying our bliss. Alive. 100 percent alive. Not crushed by a giant fat refrigerator! It's your fault!"

Jaz's hands clench into tiny deadly balls at Nico's words. The vines tighten its grip against the pillar.

Realization hits Percy harder than a sack of flour.

_She's controlling the plants!_

He could practically imagine Annabeth saying: No dur, Seaweed Brain.

CCCCCRRRRR.

Woah, he forgot about the skeletons. How do you forget about lethal zombies who wants your guts for breakfast?

"Run!" Percy shouted. "I'll hold them off!"

"No, you're lying!" Nico yelled.

"I don't trust you!"

"Just go!" Percy screamed.

"GO AWAY!" Nico pressed his hands against the side of his head like he was trying to crush it.

"Leave! Run!"

"NO!" Jaz yelled. Her bottom lip start to quiver. She was at the point of crying, screaming, and ripping off someone's head.

"Just-just-"

"GO AWAY!"

Nico's and Jaz's voice blended together, echoing throughout the woods.

The pillar exploded one by one by the pressure of the vines. Debris flew everywhere. The ground shook and opened up. Black flames sliced out of the ground like snake tongues.

Percy could barely watch. In a matter of seconds, the skeletons were gone.

"How-how-" he stuttered.

"I WISH YOU WERE DEAD!" Jaz roared.

"I WISH THE SKELETONS KILLED YOU!" Nico bellowed.

"I HATE YOU!"

Jaz and Nico fled the scene. Percy started after him but he slipped on something.

Percy picked it up the statue gingerly. The statue of Hades. If Nico's the son of Hades, who's Jazmine di Piante?

* * *

Hot burning tears streamed down her face, obscuring her vision. Blurry objects seemed to zoom by her. Or she was zooming by them.

_Bianca's gone._

Jaz ran as fast as her limber feet could her. Branches scratched her arms, her hands seemed to be set on fire, the cold bit her skin, her lungs screamed in protest but nothing...nothing hurt more than her heart.

_Percy betrayed you._

Her heart cried in pain. Screaming for love. But nobody came to its rescue.

_Everyone will leave you. They always do in the end._

Jaz clutched on to Nico's hands, her fingernails digging into his flesh.

_Even he'll leave you._

The wind howled in her ears louder and faster than before. The blurriness was gone and the darkness covered her eyes.

_I want to go._ Jaz thought._ I want to go anywhere Perseus Jackson can't find me. _

All of a sudden something slammed into her. Her grip on Nico's hand slacken. He tumbled out of her grasp. Nico left her alone, getting swallowed by the darkness. In a split second, Jazmine di Piante and Nico di Angelo were gone. And they were never, _ever_ coming back.


End file.
